1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to game boards, and, more specifically, to the construction of collector quality game boards incorporating a uniquely designed housing and having distinctive mechanical features for, among other things, holding and dispensing loose playing pieces and keeping score.
2. Background
Games have been a tool of education, art and moral teaching as well as a form of recreation for thousands of years. There are claims that the first board games date back 7,000 years. The game of "senet" found in 1922 in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen is known to be from about 3000 B.C., and another game board found in Egypt has been dated at somewhere between 4000 to 3500 B.C.
Identifying the earliest dates, and even the country of origin, of ancient games is difficult because these games have evolved over the centuries. In many instances the modern successor bears little resemblance to its early ancestor. However, the origin of many games can be traced back to their original culture and continent. Thousands of games have been created over the centuries. Yet relatively few have survived the test of time. Not unlike the board games of today, many games of the past had periods of popularity that ranged from one year to ten years or more.
Classic board games are ones that have been played around the world in one form or another for generations. For example, "Manacala-type" games were played in Egypt and the area around the Red Sea, and are still popular around the world, especially in Africa. Checkers, called "Draughts" in England and in ancient times, dates back to the twelfth century. Chess was said to have originated either in India in A.D. 600 or China before A.D. 200. Backgammon, a modern variation of a game called "Tabula," goes back to the first century. Many of these early strategy games employed tactical maneuvers closely associated with warfare, the goal being to outmaneuver or outpace an opponent, or to trap an opponent's pieces or remove them from play.
In early American history most board games were based on games from Europe, although most of these games originated in Africa or the Orient hundreds and even thousands of years earlier. "Reversi" began as a game of annexation in England in the 1880's and was brought to the United States a few years thereafter. Eighty years later (1960's) this game won recognition under the name "Othello". "Mah-Jongg" had been a favorite game in China for centuries before it was introduced into this country around 1922. The game proved so popular and was so heavily imported under different names that in 1924 Congress declared that all imported sets had to be stamped with the name "Mah-Jongg." Another game introduced into the United Sates this century is "Pachesi" (Parcheesi). Pachesi is one of the most popular games in the world and is the national game of India, where it originated 1200 years ago. "Nine Men's Morris" is another board game that was also popular among many ancient civilizations. The oldest "Morris" board, dated around 1400 B.C., was found cut into roofing slabs at Kurna, Egypt. Interestingly enough, a Morris-type board was discovered in the ruins of an ancient Southwest American Indian village. Similarly, the game "Fox and Geese" dates back to the twelfth century with its origin probably in Iceland. Similar games have been discovered among ancient American Indians, the game pieces having been changed to represent a coyote and chickens.
History has shown that classic board games have broad appeal. They cross all gender and cultural barriers and transcend religious and political boundaries. Research has also shown that throughout history the popularity of board games has been largely determined by two factors: (1) awareness (awareness of its existence or its social, educational or religious value, awareness of its cost, or awareness of how to play the game or acquire it), and (2) quality (quality of construction, quality of play or quality of entertainment).
Today, board games still hold their appeal. Unfortunately, there are few quality board games manufactured. Board games today are, for the most part, made from printed card stock, plastic or laminates. Innovation and quality are practically nonexistent. Playing pieces and scoring features are typically stored loosely in their box or in a tray if the board folds to form its own box. The nostalgia, history and significance of the game is all but lost.
It is an object of this invention to promote interest in, and the playing of, historic games of chance and skill by providing classic board games which balance aesthetics, unique functionality and cost while evoking the nostalgic and entertainment value of each game.